I agree, but the instant runoff system would show the major candidates where their voters are. For example, if Obama had won but seen that at the first count he had 18% of the vote, Kucinich 17%, Hillary 13% and Nader had 4%, but on the second or third recount when the candidates with the lowest votes are eliminated and their votes go to their second choice he gets 52%, it would show the prevalence of the views Kucinich espoused. This could help guide him to a more liberal stance.

Fresh from being tapped to deliver the invocation at President-elect Barack Obama’s inauguration, Orange County Pastor Rick Warren spoke Saturday night to about 800 members of the Muslim Public Affairs Council at its convention in Long Beach.

Warren’s theme was about people getting along, forgetting their differences and focusing on areas of agreement. The audience cheered him, and many people rose to their feet.

Among the first to stand was singer Melissa Etheridge, a lesbian, who performed for the audience.

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Obama and the conservative white pastor have often found common ground. After meeting in Washington in January 2006, they began speaking regularly by phone.

While writing his best-selling book “The Audacity of Hope,” Obama asked Warren, author of the 2002 bestseller “The Purpose Driven Life,” to review the chapter on faith.

Warren also served as part of a “prayer circle” of supportive clergy leaders during Obama’s presidential campaign.

Discord!What a joke!Is it dangerous,or at least disconcerting,when we the citizens don’t know what direction we’re headed?And we don’t!!Who has the helm?Can anyone identify a Politic here in the USA?
This is all the result of Hyper-capitalism.Now we’re gonna bask in it.

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Row row row your boat gently down the stream. Merrily Merrily merrily merrily life is but a dream!

While I really don’t care in any way who is giving the invocation, I do find some things about this interesting.

First, while I in no way agree with someone like Warren, I am pleased to see that these and other choices are upsetting in some way to the far left. I am equally pleased when I hear the right whining about some decision or position they don’t like. I want a pragmatist that’s going to, for the most part, float around in the middle and make liberals and conservatives equally unhappy!

The second point is, and this is a big shock, Obama is a politician!
Now, I didn’t have a hard time voting for him. But, despite the obvious historical significance of his ethnic background, I didn’t buy any of the Hope and Change rhetoric they were selling. His positions, as best I can tell, are more in line with my goals than were McCains.

Let’s see what he does when he actually takes office. Politicians say a lot of things, I’m more concerned with what they do.

I came across this blog post by Melissa Etheridge, explaining her decision to embrace Rick Warren. She decided to invite him get to know her and see what a loving stable home a gay family can be, rather than hate or protest him.“The Choice Is Ours Now”

A small piece from the posting:

“Brothers and sisters the choice is ours now. We have the world’s attention. We have the capability to create change, awesome change in this world, but before we change minds we must change hearts. Sure, there are plenty of hateful people who will always hold on to their bigotry like a child to a blanket. But there are also good people out there, Christian and otherwise that are beginning to listen. They don’t hate us, they fear change. Maybe in our anger, as we consider marches and boycotts, perhaps we can consider stretching out our hands. Maybe instead of marching on his church, we can show up en mass and volunteer for one of the many organizations affiliated with his church that work for HIV/AIDS causes all around the world.

Maybe if they get to know us, they wont fear us.”

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Some people can read War and Peace and come away thinking it’s a simple adventure story. Others can read the ingredients on a chewing gum wrapper and unlock the secrets of the universe. - Lex Luthor